Who is Eli Remenzel from Welcome to the Monkey House and what is their importance?

Eli is a teenager with a secret. He failed the entrance examination into Whitehall and tore up the rejection letter. He tried to tell his parents several times, but did not know how. Now he is driving to Whitehall with them and still has not told them. When the Whitehall headmaster comes into the place they are eating dinner, it is all finally too much and Eli bolts. Once his family knows, he feels a lot better. He can even smile. It is only his father's decision to beg for his admittance that still bothers Eli.